b'I N D U S T R Y N E W S Delivering the news you need to know. Submissions welcomeemail us at news@seedworldgroup.com. Research Seeks to Identify Genes to Improve Resilience and Nutrition in CropsOn June 6, researchers from Purdue University, Hamline University and the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center announced a four-year, $2.5 mil-lion project to expand understanding of the genetic processes that allow plants to absorb and make use of the elements. The information could help scien-tists understand what plants need to thrive and thus improve the nutrition value of food crops, strengthen plants ability to grow on marginal lands, or reduce the amount of fertilizer required for successful crop yields.UC Davis Announces New Fusarium-Resistant StrawberriesThe Howard G. Buffett Foundation created aThe University of California, Davis announced five program in May 2023 to supply winter oilseednew strawberry varieties that are resistant to Fusarium wilt. The new varieties are high yield with enhanced rape to small Ukrainian farms, specifically infruit quality. The varieties are called UC Eclipse, UC regions impacted most by Russias invasion. ToGolden Gate, UC Keystone, UC Monarch and UC participate in the program, farmers must be inSurfline and are available through California nurser-ies from Foundation Plant Services for purchase. The the regions impacted by Russias invasion as wellplant breeders gathered DNA to pick and design as cultivate less than 200 hectares under winterplants that have genes that offer Fusarium resistance.oilseeds rape. When ordering, if ordering at leastNew USDA App BRIDGEcereal Improves Speed five units of Pioneer seed, the farmer will beof Classifying DNA Variations Among Cerealseligible to receive an equal number of additionalOn June 5, the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Washington State University scien-Pioneer seed units for a symbolic price of 1 UAHtists announced the creation of a web app called without VAT.BRIDGEcereal that can quickly and accurately ana-lyze the vast amount of genomic data now available for cereal crops and organize the material into intuitive Study on GE Points to Build Public Trust charts that identify patterns locating genes of inter-Iowa State University researchers and partners areest, according to a release. The BRIDGEcereal app is conducting interviews to build the first U.S.-baseddesigned to transform the process of identifying large typology of proponent and critic priorities for devel- DNA variations from tedious to efficient.oping public trust in gene editing in agriculture and food. The results from this study have been publishedPurdue-Led USDA Project Aims to Double in the Agriculture and Human Values journal.Impact of Climate-Smart Corn Belt AgriculturePurdue is leading a new partnership with the USDAs Illinois Study Finds Untapped Diversity inMidwest Climate Hub. The $1.5 million partnership Popcorn aims to help a diverse group of farmers and landown-The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaigns newers in Indiana, Illinois and Iowa learn what practices study shows a wealth of diversity lurking in popcornswill help them elude the effects of climate change. The genetic code. The study analyzed 320 publicly avail- project, called Integrated Midwest Partnerships for able popcorn lines, and researchers found variation atActionable Climate Tools and Training (IMPACT2) will more than 308,000 locations across the genome. Thishelp to mitigate long-term climate change issues. SWdiversity may or may not translate into more popcorn varieties for consumers, the differences could be agro-nomically important.68/ SEEDWORLD.COMSEPTEMBER 2023'